Lawyer: R. Kelly denies all sexual misconduct allegations

Photo Credit: Photo by Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP, File

Steve Greenberg, an attorney for R Kelly, speaks during an Associated Press interview Friday, Jan. 11, 2019, in Chicago. Greenberg said that the R&B star denies all the allegations of sexual misconduct made by women in a recent television special and others, saying that he never knowingly had sex with a minor, sexually abused any woman or held anyone against their will. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

Lawyer: R. Kelly denies all sexual misconduct allegations

January 11 2019 6:27 PM

Updated:
January 11 2019 6:26 PM

Photo Credit: Photo by Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP, File

CHICAGO
-
An attorney for R. Kelly said Friday that the R&B star denies all allegations of sexual misconduct involving women and underage girls, including those made in a recent documentary, although he says neither he nor Kelly has watched the entire movie.

Attorney Steve Greenberg offered his most full-throated defense of the Grammy-winning recording artist since a prosecutor in Chicago this week urged potential victims to come forward after Lifetime aired the documentary "Surviving R. Kelly," which revisited old allegations and brought new ones into the light.

The scrutiny also extends to Georgia, where an Atlanta-area couple said Georgia prosecutors have reached out to them after they repeatedly said that Kelly brainwashed their daughter and kept her from contacting them.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Greenberg portrayed Kelly, one of the top-selling recording artists of all time, as a victim of a television hit piece.

"The allegations aren't true because he never knowingly had sex with an underage woman, he never forced anyone to do anything, he never held anyone captive, he never abused anyone," said Greenberg.

"Surviving R. Kelly" follows the BBC's "R Kelly: Sex, Girls & Videotapes," which was released last year. It alleged that the singer was holding women against their will and running a "sex cult."

Activists from the #MeToo and #MuteRKelly social media movements have seized on the renewed attention to call for streaming services to drop Kelly's music and promoters not to book any more concerts. Kelly's estranged daughter, Joann Kelly, whose stage name is Buku Abi, called him a "monster" in a post on Instagram on Thursday, though she did not make any allegations.

Greenberg harshly criticized Lifetime, accusing those who made "Surviving R. Kelly" of telling women what to say on camera, and ripped Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx for asking potential victims to come forward, saying that "invites wrongful accusations." Foxx's office said in a brief statement Friday that people have contacted prosecutors and that authorities are "following up on these calls."

Lifetime and documentary producer dream hampton said in a statement: "The women's stories speak for themselves."

Even as he denied the allegations, Greenberg said he didn't know details about them. He asserted that in the past women have "come on to" Kelly in the hopes that he could help them in their own performing careers, then became "disgruntled" when their own careers stalled and issued false allegations.

He could not say whether Kelly, 52, ever met the women interviewed in the Lifetime show, "met them one night when he was drinking and partying" or even whether he might have lived with them. But he said that was not necessary to determine that they lied, noting that none of them ever went to police or presented anyone with evidence of physical abuse.

Greenberg also questioned why some of the women didn't come forward after a 27-minute video surfaced in 2002 that showed a man purported to be Kelly engaged in sex acts involving an underage girl. Kelly, whose given name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was acquitted in 2008 on charges of videotaping himself having sex with a girl who prosecutors allege was as young as 13.

Greenberg noted the timing of documentary, after sexual misconduct allegations that have derailed the careers of several famous men.

"Now, some producer went running around and solicited all these people, did a Jerry Springer-esque show and there is all this uproar," he said. "It's disgusting."

At the same time, Greenberg said he didn't think Kelly's career would be hurt by the allegations. He noted that the number of times Kelly's songs have been streamed online has climbed in recent days .

Documentary puts new attention on R. Kelly sex allegations

Photo Credit: AP Photo/John Bazemore, File

FILE - In this Nov. 15, 2007 file photo, R&B artist R. Kelly performs at Philips Arena in Atlanta. Kelly, one of the top-selling recording artists of all time, has been hounded for years by allegations of sexual misconduct involving women and underage girls _ accusations he and his attorneys have long denied. But an Illinois prosecutor’s plea for potential victims and witnesses to come forward has sparked hope among some advocates that the R&B star might face new charges.

Lawyer: R. Kelly denies all sexual misconduct allegations

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato

Steve Greenberg, an attorney for R Kelly, speaks during an Associated Press interview Friday, Jan. 11, 2019, in Chicago. Greenberg said that the R&B star denies all the allegations of sexual misconduct made by women in a recent television special and others, saying that he never knowingly had sex with a minor, sexually abused any woman or held anyone against their will.

R. Kelly's streams increase after docu-series alleges abuse

Photo Credit: Photo by Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP, File

In this June 30, 2013 file photo, R. Kelly performs at the BET Awards in Los Angeles. Kelly, one of the top-selling recording artists of all time, has been hounded for years by allegations of sexual misconduct involving women and underage girls _ accusations he and his attorneys have long denied. But an Illinois prosecutor’s plea for potential victims and witnesses to come forward has sparked hope among some advocates that the R&B star might face new charges.

Documentary puts new attention on R. Kelly sex allegations

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file

FILE - This Feb. 12, 2011 file photo shows R. Kelly performing at the pre-Grammy gala & salute to industry icons with Clive Davis honoring David Geffen in Beverly Hills, Calif. Kelly, one of the top-selling recording artists of all time, has been hounded for years by allegations of sexual misconduct involving women and underage girls _ accusations he and his attorneys have long denied. But an Illinois prosecutor’s plea for potential victims and witnesses to come forward has sparked hope among some advocates that the R&B star might face new charges.

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